FOLLOWING THE DECLARATION of national dengue epidemic by the Department of Health, and the rising number of medical cases in Zamboanga City, Mayor Beng Climaco renewed calls for public cooperation and community involvement in the campaign against the spread of the deadly virus caused by mosquito bites.
She urged concerned national agencies and local government departments to exhaust all means to address the dengue problem here.
The City Health Office has recorded 23 deaths from dengue fever and over 4,000 suspected dengue cases here since January. Dengue is a viral disease transmitted by female mosquitoes mainly of the species Aedes aegypti.
Climaco ordered barangay officials to help in the campaign against dengue and lead villagers in the cleanliness driver by destroying breeding grounds of mosquitoes. She also ordered all resources be made available to address the dengue problems. “The main goal of the concerted efforts against dengue is to reduce the number of cases primarily through consistent and sustained search-and-destroy activities,” she said.
Climaco also held a meeting with stakeholders, including the representatives from the Department of Health led headed by Regional Director Dr. Emilia Monicimpo, and Councilors John Dalipe and El-King Omaga, chairperson and member respectively of the Committee on Health and Sanitation; City Health Officer Dr. Dulce Miravite, as well as representatives from the Association of Barangay Chairpersons, Department of Education and the City Police Office among others.
The mayor also visited dengue patients at the Zamboanga City Medical Center and made sure funds are available for them, especially the poor. The local government also spearheaded the implementation of the “Contra Dengue” along with various stakeholders.
The Department of Health declared a national dengue epidemic in the wake of the 146,062 cases recorded since January up to July which was higher by 98% compared to the same period in 2018. Over 600 dengue patients had died.
Based on the Dengue Surveillance Report, Region VI (Western Visayas) had the most number of cases at 23,330, followed by Region IV-A (CALABARZON) with 16,515, Region IX (Zamboanga Peninsula) with 12,317, Region X (Northern Mindanao) with 11,455, and Region XII (SOCCSKSARGEN) with 11,083 cases.
“It is important that a national epidemic be declared in these areas to identify where a localized response is needed, and to enable the local government units to use their Quick Response Fund to address the epidemic situation.” Health Secretary Francisco Duque said.
He said seven out of 17 regions have exceeded the epidemic threshold of dengue for the past three consecutive weeks and these were: Regions IV-A with 16,515 cases; MIMAROPA – 4,254; V with 3,470; VI with 23,330; VIII with 7,199; IX with 12, 317; and X with 11,455 cases. Other regions exceeded the alert threshold level, such as Region I (Ilocos) with 4,396 cases; VII (Central Visayas) with 10,728; and BARMM (Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao) with 2,301. (Zamboanga Post)
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